Perhaps They May
by Nela Nezzuru
Summary: The story of a young wolf-girl, Rosabell. And how she strives to reach both fighting and thieving perfection in the face of a tyrant... IMPORTANT AUTHORS NOTE
1. Thief On A Roll

**Authors Note: **This is a new story that has been quite a long time in the making. It isn't finished, but I'm putting it up to see if there's any interest in it. If there is, I'll continue to update. I've only written three chapters and it takes me a while to write so be patient…^_^ Anyway, I hope you enjoy Perhaps They May and remember…REVIEW! Criticism and flames are welcome. Just tell me what you think.

**DISCLAIMER :**I own hardly anything. I don't own the idea, or any of the characters except Rosabell. And THANK YOU to the respective owners for letting me tell their stories by Rosa's POV. I don't own Redwall…I wish…

**Perhaps They May **

**Chapter 1:**

**Thief on a Roll**

_"HA! Wait? Nah, stuff that! I'm going now!" Rosabell Flikpaw_

_I take what I want,                                                                                                                                              _

_Take what I need.                                                                                                                                               _

_They say it's wrong,                                                                                                                                           _

_But it's right for me.                                                                                                                                           _

_I won't look down,                                                                                                                                              _

_Won't say I'm sorry.                                                                                                                                          _

_I know that only God can judge me.                                                                                                                   _

_"The Young and the Hopeless"                                                                                                                         _

_Good __Charlotte___

Normal POV

Soft paws tip-toed silently over rough floorboards, the walker stifling giggles as they crept towards a tiny door. A small brown paw pressed against the uneven surface of the door as a red flecked, brown eye peered into a sturdy-looking lock. Another paw was raised, a strong, but thin wire grasped in it. The young beast murmured the line they had become famous for by their friends.

"If they don't want it stolen…why do they lock it up?"

Soft sunlight from a window high above the beast shone down upon its back as it set to work, inserting the wire into the lock, an ear pressed against the door as it wriggled the wire around.

The beast was a wolf-girl. Not a large or old one, nothing fancy to look at either. She would probably be around ten seasons old, maybe a bit younger, with sleek brown fur that rose into spikes upon her head. A cream coloured pelt covered her palms and the soles of her bare feet, with a cream tip to her tail.

Yes, she was average. And it annoyed the heck out of her, the only unique features she had was a cowlick that graced the front, left side of her head. It caused annoying pieces of headfur to fall down in front of her left eye, it obviously agitated her by the way she kept on tossing her head but no attempt had been made to pull it back. The other unique feature being her eyes, which were brown. Yes, average, but they had beautiful red flecks that seemed to brighten when she was happy and darken, almost turning her eyes black, when she was angry.

At the moment, her eyes were shining bright as the lock she was picking gave a silent 'click' and the door popped open. The wolf-girl gave a tiny cheer of triumph, pumping her fists in the air above her. She was just about to inspect and claim her prize when she heard a loud 'pssst' noise. She looked up to the window to see the face of a young weasel. The weasel whisper-screamed to her,

"Rosabell! Your dad's coming!"

Rosabell's POV

"Your dad's coming!"

Ahhh! Damn! That's the last thing I need, I do NOT want another month of pot-washing. I leapt to my feet, my prize which I had worked so hard to get forgotten. I looked up to my best friend; a weasel called Violet and just about screamed at her.

"What!? How much longer do I have?"

Violet looked down at me confused. Gawds girl, hurry up. It doesn't take that long to see a beast and tell me where the hell they are! She looked down at me, eyes wide.

"He's almost at the door, HIDE!"

Oh, no. Now I'm dead. I mean, I love my dad and all but he's all about discipline, and perfection. Somehow I don't think a guy who chucks a spaz when the damn beakers in our cupboard aren't stacked properly will appreciate my chosen pathway.

I'm a thief.

Okay, enough thinking, move your tail girl! I run to the door, I have to get to my room. At least then I can act like I didn't do it. I turn down the hallway, almost there. 

"Rosabell Flikpaw!"

Uh, Oh…

That voice would belong to Dad. Heh, I forgot that to get to my room, I have to go down the hallway which is attached to the entrance door. Stupid Rosabell, S-T-U-P-I-D! Great, now he's staring at me…don't move, Rosabell. If you move, he'll read you like a book. I slowly turn around and smile up at dad.

"Oh, hey dad. What's up?"

He just glares down at me…gawds, if looks could kill I'd be a goner. He knows, oh gawd, he knows. I'm dead. Okay, I'll leave my little dagger to Violet. Err, and my lock picking stuff to-

"Rosabell, get your tail outside NOW!"

Oh yeah, Dad. I'm in trouble now huh? I walk to the front door, trying to look innocent. But how the hell can I look innocent when he's fixing me with a glare that makes me want to melt into a puddle and die? He walks out after me, still glaring. He tells me to stay put as he walks to the side of the house. Hey? Isn't that were Violet is? She'd better have moved or…

I winced as a loud crashing noise sounded, I couldn't help but grin.

She's gonna be in trouble!

Normal POV

Rosabell's father had walked around the side of the cottage to see Violet perched precariously on top of a wood stack peering nervously through a high window. With a sigh he walked to the base of the pile and gave it a mighty kick. Violet of course came tumbling down, along with the pile of wood. She landed hard on her back, several pieces of wood falling down onto her stomach almost winding her. She looked up to see the semi-amused face of her best friend's father gazing down on her. She smiled and stuttered,

"H-hello, Mr. Flikpaw…what's happening?"

Rosabell's father picked her up and walked her around to the front of the house where a grinning Rosabell was standing.

"I think you know what's happening, Violet. Both you and Rosabell."

He gave a pointed glance at Rosabell who walked over, muttering something about 'child abuse'. When they were both in front of him he opened his mouth and began to speak.

Rosabell's POV

Geez, have you ever gotten a really bad lecture? Well, multiply that be fifty-gazillion and you'll get the one me and Violet are about to get.

"I'm very disappointed in you two…"

Yeah, have I mentioned I have heard it a million times? No? Well, I have. I just about know it by heart now…Ok, after disappointed is,

"You should both know better!"

Yes, Dad. I know better, but I just don't like the aforementioned 'better'. It's boring frankly. 

"Especially you, Rosabell. You were taught by me, and sorry to say it but you're becoming a failure…"

Hey, you know the first time I heard that it really hurt. Because apart from the obvious self-esteem crushing thing about calling me a failure, he also implies that Violet isn't as good as me…something which I can say truthfully is false.

"Stealing is not a way of life, and you two have to realize this."

Now THAT is the biggest load of bulldust I have ever heard. I bet I could steal a way of life…easily!

"So, I've decided that if I catch you two stealing again…you're going to get worse punishment than the usual month pot-washing!"

Whoa! Calm down, that was new…Worse punishment? Is that even possible? I look across at Violet and I can see that she is thinking the same thing. I wish Mum was here, she always stood up for us…but she won't be back from the mountains for five more seasons…or was it six? Tell you the truth I can't remember, pretty bad huh?

Finally Dad lets us go…with pot-washing for a month, I swear me and Violet have the cleanest paws in our village. She starts talking whilst we are walking,

"Hey, Rosa'. Do you wanna go to the waterfall?"

I look across at her and see she is staring at me; I look up to the sun and see it's about mid-afternoon, good. Nobeast will be there. I turn back to Violet and smile,

"Yeah, sure! Let's go!"

Normal POV

The young beasts of the village have always liked the waterfall. But two exceptions to that was Rosabell and Violet, they practically lived there. In the morning they would go there to eat breakfast, they would go there after they stole something to split-up their cache. Then in the afternoon they usually relaxed with a swim. Even in the middle of winter when the water was frozen, they went down and tried to run on the ice.

Now they were visiting in the afternoon, a good time to come they had decided. Because most other young-beasts were getting ready for the big evening meal, nobeast was there.

Violet was swimming, Rosabell was just sitting by the narrow stream that ran down the small cliff face. This stream ran for a long way, her father had once told her it came from the north mountains, then ran through a great inland sea before it even reached their village. It then continued south until it was assumed it reached the sea.

Rosabell was now gazing wistfully upstream, she was so absorbed in her thoughts, and she didn't notice that Violet had climbed up next to her. But she was soon alerted to her friend's presence when Violet shook her head, showering Rosabell with water. The young wolf let out a surprised squeak before turning and glaring, aggravated at the weasel.

"Do you mind, Violet?" Violet just grinned at her before sitting next to the wolf-girl on a large, flat stone.

"No, not really. But what's wrong with you? Your zoning out all the time, it wasn't that lecture your Dad gave us because you're used to them…what's wrong?" Rosabell sighed and shook her head, she couldn't lie, Violet knew her too well and would be able to tell. Ahh well, truth is best.

"I miss my Mum…" Violet groaned, this wasn't a subject she really wanted to get into…

"Well, Rosa'. Sorry to say, but you can't do a thing about it. You can only wait until she comes back from the mountains."

"HA! Wait? Nah, stuff that! I'm going now!"

Another groan sounded from Violet, and then turned into giggles.

"Would you like me to get you a fresh pack or will you just use the one you took last time?" The weasel then burst out laughing.

Rosabell scowled, sure, she had attempted to go out on herself before. A few times. Several…Six. But five out of the six she had been found and dragged back, yelling and complaining, by her friends and relentless father. The other time she had forgotten to take anything, Violet hadn't let her forget this, and constantly annoyed her about it even now.

"I'm being serious!" She practically yelled, "I'm going to the North Mountains to find my mother. Then I'll help her with…whatever it is she's doing up there. And I'll come back with her!"

This just caused more laughs to escape from Violet, who was now rolling around in hysterics. She rolled too close towards the edge of the small cliff and fell into the waterfalls plunge-pool below but emerged laughing again. Rosabell just rolled her eyes,

"There's nothing funny about it. I'm leaving. And I won't be coming back for a few good seasons as well!"

Violet stopped laughing and climbed out of the water. She ran behind the waterfall and pulled out a haversack, she threw it roughly at Rosabell who caught it. "Fine," she said. "I'll see you in a few good seasons…or a few short hours."

Rosabell's POV

I angrily shouldered the haversack and walked off into the surrounding woods. How dare Violet take me for a fool like that! I'd show her! I paused and thought about where to go next. All of the previous times I had gone, I had just followed our stream north. But each if those times, I had been caught. I knew from my limited knowledge of the surrounding area (mainly gotten from travellers and elders) that there was a path that ran north to south around three days walk west of out village. That's where I would go!

Now, lesse…the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. I turned my head towards the sun and, with the fading light glaring into my eyes, began my journey.

Three days, straight walking, no problem.


	2. Flight Of Green

**Authors Note: **Here's the next chapter in Perhaps They May. And THANK YOU peoples for reviewing. The reviews are a great confidence booster…I've decided this is how I'm going to work…A new chapter will be posted whenever I've finished the one in front of it. That way, if I want to change the story, I won't have to repost the chapter etc. etc. You get the point…

**THANK YOU TO ALL THESE LOVELY PEOPLE!**

**Yuoofox**** – You're my first reviewer! Happy-ness. Yeah, Rosabell thinks differently from just about everyone. That is what makes her interesting…**

**~Shadowolf~ - **Thank you!

**Trinity18 – **I TOLD you my new name. Several times. You didn't pay attention. Can't wait to read your Everworld one…bwahaha. And yes…Will rules. But LYRA is BETTER!!! **Will+Lyra**** 4eva!**

**Bubonic Woodchuck – **Hey Flamey! Thanks…

Also thank you to **Eroketwho told me in an e-mail that he loved it. Many thanks reviewers, and please review this chapter as well! Flames and criticism are welcome. Just tell me what you think… **

**DISCLAIMER: **I own hardly anything. I don't own the idea, or any of the characters except Rosabell. And THANK YOU to the respective owners for letting me tell their stories by Rosa's POV. I don't own Redwall…I wish…I also don't own any of the songs featured…

**Perhaps They May**

**Chapter 2:**

**Flight of Green**

_"Weeell, aren't you the young, bold type. Eh?" Hakku Greenstream_

_How am I supposed to live, _

_In a world of negatives.__  
How am I supposed to love,_

_In a world full of push and shove.__  
How am I supposed to breathe, _

_In a world full of lust and greed.__  
Well I guess I'll have to live day to day,  
And pray to god that'll be ok. _

_Ay ay._

_"Karma"_

_1200 Techniques _

Normal POV

"The emperor'll be 'ere soon…"

"I do not care. Either way I'm going to die so I suppose a dishonourable death by a coward won't be any worse…"

The first beast that spoke laughed softly before speaking again. He was a tall, grey wolf with black markings accentuating his ugly features. He was quite old but still well built and very dangerous looking. He was wearing thick, steel plate armour with gold trim.

"I don't think the emperor will like you speaking of him like that."

The second wolf, who was bound tightly to a chair, snorted in scorn. Light brown fur covered his body, although it was dull and large patches had either fallen out or had been torn out. Probably torn out, because of the state of him. A rough, bearded, but still young face and several large bruises replaced what would have once been quite good-looking features, a pair of unusually long ears were laid back onto his skull, too tired to pick them up. He glared at his captor with icy, pale blue eyes. Those eyes carried an intensity that could quell most beasts, but the grey wolf simply stood there and smirked.

"I couldn't give a damn, Sankes. If the emperor _does come…I'll tell him what I think of him to his face!"_

A cruel, raspy chuckle escaped Sankes' throat and he lent forward until his nose was almost touching the captives.

"You do that, Fritz, for it'll only draw out your death. Your _painful_ death I should add."

Fritz let out a long, almost hysterical giggle. Sankes stood back suddenly, thinking that the wolf had snapped. Suddenly, Fritz stopped.

"If you are thinking that your threats scare me, Sankes, you have obviously never met a wolf of the Denfet line. I'm not afraid of you or 'Emperor Seraph'."

The door to the tiny room opened and a cloaked figure entered, it made a swift paw movement to Sankes and he turned to Fritz swiftly and snarled,

"Well, you'd better be scared of the Emperor, Fritz Denfet. Because my 'threats' are real. And you're about to experience them all…" He bowed swiftly to the cloaked figure and strode through the door, a frown creased on his face as he heard Fritz's last comment.

"So you say, Sankes Dragonflame…So you say."

* * * * *

Rosabell's POV 

"Three days, straight walking, no problem."

Gees I'm an idiot.

Since I had started out on my 'adventure', that three days had turned into four, then four into five. After five days of walking and wondering where the hell my Dad was when I actually _wanted him to find me, I reached the path. _

Oh, and wasn't it exciting.

After reaching it, I began walking north. That was yesterday. Okay, maybe I'm not the travelling type and I could be wrong…but aren't there supposed to be beasts on a main path? Now I was walking, and thinking highly of turning my tail around and going back home. Not to mention I had hardly any supplies yet because _someone, cough__Violetcough, had eaten half of my supplies since I had first packed them._

And if something doesn't happen soon I think I'm going to die from boredom. 

I heard a rustling from the woods on my left. Great! Something's happening, I was just about to go and see what was making the noise when a figure came hurtling out. It didn't stay still long enough for me to see it. But before I knew what was happening, it grabbed me and was dragging me up the road at such speed that I had to run full-pelt to keep up.

I thought that whatever had me would stop after a while and, when it did, I could promptly kick its butt for grabbing me. But it just kept on going. I swear we ran for at least a kilometre before they stopped. Now I can easily run a kilometre, but not at a sprint. So understandably, I was puffed.

"Wha-What the hell…the hell d-do you th-think you're doing?" I gasped out, not expecting an answer, but I got one anyway.

"Well, I woz savin' you from sum bandits. Why else d'y think I woz runnin'? If'n I left ya there, you'da bin dead by now."

I looked up to see my attacker/rescuer. Standing there was a tall ermine, breathing lightly. He didn't seem even slightly puffed. Lilac eyes watched me as a white muzzle creased into a grin. He was wearing a pair of olive green pants tied with a length of orange material as a belt. On his top half he was wearing a navy blue, long-sleeved tunic, with a short, tight, leather vest that was laced up the front over it. The leather the vest was made of reminded me of leather armour.

The ermine also had a green headband that kept most of his wild headfur out of his eyes. The tails of the headband fell down to about where his tail started. He wore no boots. 

But the strangest thing about him was the colouration of his fur. It was mostly white, but he had a black underbelly. Now I'd never seen black over white fur, only ever white over black. It looked good though.

"Well, ain't ya gonna thank me for savin' ya?"

Ermine's POV

I could see the face of the wolf girl I had rescued slowly turn into a frown. She stood up straight, I could tell she wanted to yell at me for my, err, unorthodox way of getting her out of harms way but she thought about it and stopped herself. She looked into my face and gave a nervous half-smile.

"Thanks…um, my name's Rosabell."

Rosabell, pretty name. The girl herself was kinda plain but she had nice eyes. I grinned and held out my paw.

"Nice to meet ya, Rosabell. 'M Hakku Greenstream. Say, do most beasts from where you come 'ave no last name?"

My grin grew broader as a faint blush crept across her face. She took my paw and shook it lightly. But I grabbed hers and shook hard, shaking her. Her blush grew brighter and she stuttered out.

"Flikpaw. My name's Rosabell Flikpaw." She shook some of her embarrassment then before speaking again. "Um, Hakku…why were you running from those bandits?"

Oooh, tough question. I suppose the girl has a right to know.

"Well, Rosabell. To tell you the truth, I gave those robbers a taste of their own medicine."

"What do you mean by that?"

"'M a professional borrower, missie. Er…let's just say I don't like givin' back what I've borrowed."

I waited for her reaction. Most beasts reaction to a thief is disgust, don't know why. Everybeast needs a pathway, mine's just stealing. I was inwardly relieved when a huge smile spread across her face and she jumped up and down excitedly. 

"You mean you're a thief?!?!"

I winced at the high pitch of her excited voice and nodded.

"Wow! I mean, I've always wanted to be a thief! And I'm finally meeting one. You! A _real thief!"_

"Whoa, calm down, Rosabell."

"Just call me Rosa', everyone does."

"And who might this ev'ryone be?"

And so she went into a highly detailed description of her life before she left her village. It made me regret asking her. But when she'd finished I had to be impressed.

"Six times ya say? Weeell, aren't you the young, bold type. Eh?" She grinned at me before she looked to the ground and shifted her footpaws. What was she doing? 

"Rosa'? What are ya doin'?" She looked up at me with a small smile before speaking quietly.

"Well, I was wondering…if maybe…maybe…" 

"You could come along wid me?" She looked up shocked.

"Well, yeah. How did you guess?"

I chuckled, "You just spent 'alf an hour tellin' me how much you wanna be a thief. That's 'ow I guessed." 

Normal POV

Hakku chuckled as Rosabell rolled her eyes, irritated.

"Rosa' me gal. We're gonna 'ave a problem if ya want to come wid me."

Rosabell raised an eyebrow in question, before the wolf girl could get out her query, however, Hakku answered it for her.

"Well, ye see…I'm headin' south, an' you're headin' north…different directions ye see."

Rosabell nodded, "I _could_ just forget about going north and go with you, but that would mean leaving my mother."

"Hmm, think about it this way Rosa'. Does yer mother know tha' yer comin'?" He watched as Rosabell shook her head. "Then yer not leavin' 'er, aint ye?"  Rosabell thought about this for a few seconds before nodding slowly.

"I see what you're getting at…but I'm not so sure." A frustrated look came over her face and she flicked her head annoyed as her headfur interrupted her vision. After a short while, she looked Hakku straight in the eye.

"…And you'll train me? In the ways of a thief?"

"The ways o' a thief? I'll train ye even bett'r than that! I'll train ye my way! Ye'll become a Greenstream thief...I got students all o'er th' land, and I'll be glad to teach ye some o' me tricks!"

He smiled kindly as a broad smile came onto Rosabell's face. She leapt at him and grabbed him in a huge hug. Hakku was taken aback at first, but then he hugged her back, albeit a bit halfhearted. She smiled at him again.

"So, when do we start?" 

* * * * *

The cloaked figure made its way over to a bound Fritz. The wolf could only glare at it as it strode towards him, head lowered, hood covering its face. It walked in front of him and suddenly stopped. Fritz snarled.

"What? Are you here to kill me? I guess you're the 'great' Emperor Seraph…" He snarled again. "What's the matter, are you just going to stand there, or are you going to do something?"

The black paw of the Emperor twitched, and it rose slowly to the hood of his deep crimson cloak. As he pulled it back a little, he also lifted his head up slightly. What he revealed caused the bound wolf to gasp in fright and awe.

"The Silver Wolf…"

A sickening crack echoed throughout the room as the Emperor delivered a horrifying blow to Fritz's face with a club-like paw. As Fritz struggled to hold onto what consciousness he had left, he heard a raspy voice speak out. He didn't know if it was addressing him or not, but he still heard.

"He has not exhausted his usefulness yet…We shall keep him alive for now, but when the time comes, we will eliminate him."

And from then, Fritz had no knowing, as his mind clouded and he lost consciousness.


	3. Bandit Training Just Isn't Enough

**Authors' Note: **I regret to tell you all this. Then again…ALL may be an overstatement. I am stopping writing this fic. In fact, I am stopping writing altogether. My enthusiasm for the creative media on paper with pen/computer with keyboard has been dwindling ever since I started and I see now no point in it. Also contributing is I have found other outlets in art, drama and my passion in music that was just rekindled.

I will leave my stories up. But it is highly unlikely that new chapters will be put up. The only way they will is if I'm ever feeling depressed and I have no drawing paper, too many people in the house to role play, and my piano is out of tune. As you can see, not very likely.

I want to thank everyone who took an interest in this story. To those who reviewed…thank you beyond thank yous'…to those who didn't…thanks for nothing!...Joking, joking. For anyone who read PTM and didn't review. Thank you for taking an interest.

So, it is with this chapter I leave you. Although you might get the next one, entitled Perhaps They May and is one of the most pivotal in the story. Only because it is half finished and that would annoy me.

**Thank You To These Lovely People…**

**SilverRose**** Brighteye – Thank you, thank you. Wolves are one of my favourite animals. And for those Redwall fans who say the one in The Bellmaker doesn't count…HE HAD A NAME! SO MUST BE INTELLIGENT! AND BY THAT MUST COUNT!**

**Catty Engles – **Thanks for your advice. And If I had continued this for…two more chapters. I could have been able to put it into action…thanks though!

…**Quoi Qu'il Arrive**…

**Perhaps They May**

**Chapter Three:**

**Bandit Training Just Isn't Enough**

_"RUN!" "Run is good…" "I recommend it…" Rosabell Flikpaw and Hakku Greenstream_

_Hey Mr. hero.___

_Walking a thin fine line,_

_Under the microscope of life.___

_Remember your rules my friend._

_There are doubts below,_

_'Cause heros come and heros go._

_Are you ready?_

_Are you ready?_

_For what's to come._

_Oh I said…_

_Are you ready?_

_Are you ready?_

_For what's to come._

_"Are You Ready?"_

_Creed_

Normal POV

"To start off your trainin', first I'm gonna need to see what you can do now."

"Well, I can pick locks and I know stealth techniques. I'm pretty good with a dagger as we-"

"Shut up Rosabell…"

"…"

"I mean we're gonna 'ave to take you out an' find somethin' for you to show your skills on. There's no point in you jus' tellin' me wot you c'n do!"

Rosabell pouted childishly.

"Yeah, well…what am I going to show my skills on smartypants?"

"I have an idea 'bout that…but first, 'ave you ever kill'd anybeast?"

Rosabell paled slightly and Hakku took that for a 'no'. He mentally sighed, that would be the hardest part for her, killing a beast. Ahh well, time to break the news to her.

"Sorry t' say, Rosa'. But yore gonna 'ave to learn t' kill beasts wi'out 'esitation." Rosabell looked up at him, confused.

"But, I always thought that thieves didn't have to kill…"

"Sure, they don' _'ave _to, but if worse comes t' worse, it may be yore only choice. Anyway, back t' th' problem at hand…follo' me." And with that, he ran off, back in the direction they came from. Rosabell let out a groan and followed, doggedly, behind him.

After what seemed like an eternity to both Rosa' and Hakku, Rosabell because of her weariness and Hakku because of Rosabell's complaining, they finally reached their destination. Rosabell immediately recognized it.

"Riiight…Hakku. What the hell are we doing back here?"

They had stopped directly by the bushes that Hakku had first dived out of to 'rescue' Rosabell. There were a few signs that beasts had been there since they had left, mainly the bush was hacked at savagely in some places. There were also paw prints all around them in the dust of the road. 

"Hah…bandits. Al'ays were stoopid as heck…" Hakku muttered distastefully as he examined the prints. Rosabell tried examining them, but eventually got bored and started hovering over Hakku's shoulder. After a while, Hakku growled at her and shooed her away. 

"Git lost yer stinkin' pest. Can't ye see I'm tryin' to get information?"

Rosa' just smirked insolently.

"What? From them? How can you tell anything from those scuffs in the dirt?"

This gained a sigh from Hakku and a slap over the back of her head. She rubbed her head and glared at Hakku, who ignored her.

"Yore a right fool an' no mistake Rosabell. From these liddle scuffs I can tell 'ow many beasts there are. An' what type o' beast they are." Rosabell opened her mouth, but before she could speak, he interrupted. "'Cats…mebbe a few Hedgehogs…Strange, goodbeast an' badbeast workin' together.... An' see these, Rat prints. Not many o' those but…I'd say around 'alf a score o' beasts altogether. Mebbe a few more."

He glanced at Rosabell who was looking at him, jaw dropped. He grinned at her and before she could even ask, started explaining everything to her. This took only around ten minutes, as Hakku had a very effective teaching method. You get it wrong, I hit you. After explaining to Rosabell, he looked at the bushes.

"Hah, not very well armed…Look 'ere Rosa', see 'ow th' bushes 'ave bin 'acked at? Yes? Well, tha' means tha' their weapons are blunt. At least their swords an' stuff like that. But we can't depend on this for everythin', 'cause some mightn't 'ave cut at this…You getting' this Rosa'?" He got a vigorous nod from her. 

"Good, now 'ere's what we're gonna do…first we're gonna wait 'till night falls, then…"

* * * * *

Fritz's POV

Not exhausted his usefulness yet…

I wonder what that could mean. Surely the Emperor would have no use for me. What can I do? I can fight, sure, but everybeast in Menag can fight. It is not as if I am related to anybeast useful. My only relative in the City is a lowly healer who spends his spare time bartending…I am so confused.

I woke up, cast out onto the streets in a pile of mud and discarded food. Not a pleasant awakening for anybeast.  The last thing I can remember is that Emperor standing over me. I saw his face. But then my memories seem to have stopped, I cannot visualize his features in my mind. 

After awakening, I walked to the nearest well to wash up. It didn't do much to improve my appearance due to the bruises and missing patches of fur I had gained but it made me feel better. When I finished I decided against visiting one of the many crowded taverns and bars and decided to go for a walk instead. That walk has lead me here. On top of the western wall of the mighty wolf city of Menag. The quiet breeze that had been here to begin with had gradually built up to a quite blustery wind. It starts to rain as I turn to face the inward of the great city.

As I stand here, battling off a headache, I see all of Menag. A huge city, it was at first a place of war. This still stands in the large amount of trained soldiers that patrol the streets and live in the castle. Ahh, yes, the castle. It has been there longer than anybeast can remember. It is said that the great Silver Wolf, founder of Menag, helped build it himself. It is a mighty castle, built out of solid stone with tall turrets surrounded by a deep moat. At the very top of the castle flies the Menagean banner. A running silver wolf emblazoned on a black backing. 

But the greatest marvel of all Menag would have to be the city itself. A huge place. It is said you can live here for a lifetime and still find something new in an afternoons stroll. It covers a wide, circular expanse, coming out from the edges of the castle moat. But the city will not be expanding any further. As was the command of Emperor Seraph, a great wall was built around it, securing Menag as a fighting city. 

I was 'recruited' when I was young, as was my younger cousin Nepano. The recruiting for the Menagean army is very simple. You join, or the existing soldiers wipe out you and your whole family. I am now a Lieutenant, although being of a high rank seems to do nothing to raise favor to the Emperor. 

I was arrested for supposed treachery. The normal penalty is death. That is why I am so confused. Why am I still alive?

How does he need me?

* * * * *

Rosabell's POV

Hakkus' plan was simple enough. Wait until nightfall so we would have some decent cover. Sneak up on the bandits. Then beat the crap out of them. Of course, we would be outnumbered around five to one, but Hakku didn't seem to care. Well, we waited until nightfall. And now we are outside the bandits' camp, we had scoped them out and Hakku was pretty good with his guess. There were seven wildcats altogether, and four hedgehogs. They were sitting by a large bonfire, obviously not caring that they were just one huge target. Two rats were sitting by a separate, smaller fire. I snickered and muttered to Hakku. 

"Heh, seems that nobeast likes the rats, hey Hakku?"

I smiled a bit as I got a quiet chuckle from him. I turned to see him dangling a sling in my face.

"You know 'ow t' use on o' these, Rosa'?"

I nodded, what self-respecting misfit didn't know how to use a sling? I was just about to make that point to Hakku when he shoved the sling into my paws along with a small bag of what I guess would be throwing pebbles. 

"Good, tha' means I won' 'ave t' show ye 'ow t' use one then. Okay now, 'ere's th' plan.

You sneak up be'ind those rats, once ye get there, give me a minute or so t' get ready. Then, I wan' ye t' take out those two rats as quick as ye can…Once ye've dun tha', wait 'til I've moved. Then ye can run in an' elp me get 'em. You got that?"

I nodded. It seemed like a good plan, but before I could ask any questions, Hakku disappeared. He headed towards the big bonfire. I sighed and started to creep towards the smaller fire with the two rats. 

The whole camp as in a huge clearing. The bonfire was directly in the middle of it, and the smaller fire was more towards the surrounding forest. This made my job a hell of a lot easier. I finally reached the point behind the two rats and loaded the sling.

Hakku said wait a minute. Then I'll have to attack.

Normal POV

When Hakku had left Rosabell, he had crept off in the opposite direction heading for the big bonfire. When he reached it, he looked around for what he wanted.

Hakku is usually in the possession of a large, stout, wooden staff. But unfortunately, when he was attacked by the bandits previously, a huge hedgehog had taken it from him. He was not in a position to take it back at the time so he had to leave it.

The ermine watched the camp with his piercing, mauve eyes and easily saw the spikedog. It was quite a large specimen, with mud covering him from tail to tip. Hakkus' staff was clutched in his paws and, luckily for Hakku, he was fast asleep, leaning on a rock at the edge of the clearing. 

Hakku slinked up behind him and silently, slowly, carefully removed the staff from the hedgehogs' huge paws. The ermine then gave a silent smile of triumph and relief before promptly whacking the hedgehog over the head with the staff. Fortunately, the crackle of the fire disguised the crack of the spikedogs' skull shattering…

Just at that moment, Rosabell decided that he had enough time so she loaded the sling, with another stone in paw and whizzed them, one after the other, with frightening accuracy at the two rats. Two nauseating snaps sounded over the noise of the fire, and as soon as Hakku leapt from behind the rock and carcass of the hedgehog, Rosabell seemed to realize what she'd done and froze.

Pandemonium swept through the camp like wildfire. The few beasts that had been awake started screaming, that woke up other beasts who, having no idea what was going on, decided to join suit and started screaming as well. Hakku, in the meantime, was leaping from shadow to shadow, the staff like an extension of his paw as he took down two wildcats before leaping through the flames of the bonfire onto the back of another. They both fell to the ground, but it was a fight that the ermine easily won, breaking all the wildcats' limbs and smashing his face.

One of the robbers, a hedgehog, finally noticed that it was Hakku causing all the panic. He swung his mace angrily before yelling to his friend, a wildcat who wielded a sword, to come. The both advanced on the ermine as others seemed to catch on and form a circle around Hakku who, naturally, was feeling extremely nervous now.

"Come on, Rosa…Where are ye' when I need ye'?" He murmured.

The previously mentioned wolf was at the moment in a slight state of shock. She couldn't believe that she'd just killed two innocent…well maybe not innocent…but she'd just killed two rats. Rosabell looked up to see Hakku surrounded and felt herself moving without her minds' consent. She raced into the clearing, sending two rocks speeding from her sling into the side of the circle. The gap the two dead beasts left opened up onto dark forest.

"RUN!" She screamed as Hakku bounded through the gap in the circle, hitting a few beasts on the way out. He laughed and sped off towards the forest.

"Run is good…" The ermine gasped as Rosabell dropped in next to him and started running as well.

"I recommend it…" She yelled, and then laughed as they reached the forest. The remaining three wildcats and two hedgehogs roared in rage and loped after them. But the hedgehogs were no match for the speed of the two thieves and soon were left behind. The wildcats, on the other hand, were extremely fast, and Hakku and Rosa' soon found them gaining on them.

"What are we going to do?" Rosabell huffed as she dodged a tree. Hakku thought about this for a moment before shouting back.

"Take me paw, Rosa'. An' 'old on tight…"

Rosabell didn't argue, she grabbed the ermines' paw and held on for dear life as the wildcats approached even closer. Hakku broke into a sprint, dragging Rosabell along with him. He gained a little ground on the cats but soon began to tire. He spotted what he wanted a short distance ahead, two trees around an arms distance apart, with a strong tree branch close by. He lifted his staff in the air, catching it on the trees. He momentum of his and Rosabell's moving body's carried them up into the air and smashing down, onto the tree branch.

The three wildcats stopped below them, one, an average sized ginger female with a nasty sneer, turned to another, a young, black furred male, and snarled.

"Well, Dengi…where are they eh? You said they 'eaded this way…"

The third one, a huge sandy coloured male, growled at Dengi as well.

"Yea'…well…I can't see any sign o' a fox an' ferret eh? Can you…Jehfe?"

The ginger cat shook her head. Dengi opened his mouth to apologize but the ginger female silenced him with an opened-pawed smack to the face, leaving deep claw marks.

"Ahhh..git away ye pathetic kitten. Go on…git lost." With that, Dengi the black wildcat ran off, clutching his face. After he had gone, Hakku looped his legs around the branch and swung down, his face now directly upside down, hanging in front of the two cats.

"Ye shouldn' 'ave 'it 'im. He was right…" The ermine then grinned before turning serious. In two seconds flat he had killed Jehfe and the sandy male with his staff. He swung down from the branch and Rosabell jumped down after him. She muttered in disgust.

"And it's a wolf and an ermine…pathetic cat…So, where to now, Hakku?"

"Well, there was this place I was thinking' of…'s a wolf city…you'd like it."


End file.
